Expert Details

Escrow and Title Insurance, Commercial and Residential Real Estate Closings, and Claims Handeling

ID: 728036 Texas, USA

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Expert has been a licensed attorney since 1973 and has been closing (or supervising the closing of) residential and commercial real estate transactions during most of his legal career. He has been directly involved in the title insurance industry for more than 30 years in a supervisory capacity and is well known as a teacher and expert witness in both Texas and New Mexico. Expert has acted as an expert witness in regulatory hearings before the insurance departments of Texas and New Mexico, before legislative committees in Texas and Florida, in both criminal and civil trials in Texas, and in civil trials in New Mexico and Colorado.

Expert acted as an expert witness for plaintiffs in two related civil trails against a title insurance agent and fee attorney office that were involved in a multi-million-dollar loan fraud scheme. Results: seven figure judgment for plaintiffs. He acted as expert witness for plaintiff in suit against title insurance company, Exon Mobile and Chevron for fraud in a real estate transaction. Result: multi-million dollar judgment for plaintiff. Expert has also been an expert witness for multiple title insurers, title insurance agencies and fee attorneys as defendants with very good results - judgment for defendants or settlement for less than cost to proceed to trial. Expert was the expert witness in a title agent's suit against a customer whose law firm used the title agent's research and commitment to render a title opinion and refused, after closing the transaction, to pay the premium for the title policies it had ordered insuring the 100 Million Dollar Plus transaction. Result, judgement for plaintiff. Expert was an expert witness for defendant Chicago Title Insurance Company in a civil suit concerning one of the most notorious loan fraud rings in the Houston area. The case settled favorably.

Education

Year Degree Subject Institution
Year: 1971 Degree: Juris Doctorate Subject: Law Institution: Univeristy of Baltimore
Year: 1968 Degree: Associate of Arts Subject: Pre-law Institution: Eastern College (now University of Baltimore)

Work History

Years Employer Title Department
Years: 2001 to Present Employer: Undisclosed Title: Managing Partner Department:
Responsibilities:
Expert has been acting as an expert witness on a part time basis since the mid 1980s. In 2001 he formed this company in order to act as a consultant and witness. He has done so in more than 150 civil matters.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 2004 to 2009 Employer: Southern Title Insurance Corporation Title: Sr. Underwriting Counsel & Special Projects Manager Department: Western Region
Responsibilities:
He had primary responsibility for development of the company's western region. He acted as underwriting counsel for Texas, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada, he handled claims and managed litigation. He trained title agents and wrote underwriiting bulletins and manuals.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 2001 to 2004 Employer: Columbian National Title Insurance Company Title: Regional Senior Vice President and Counsel Department: Southwest
Responsibilities:
He had primary responsibility for development of the company's Texas operations. He acted as underwriting counsel, handled claims and managed litigation. He trained title agents and wrote underwriting bulletins and manuals.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1997 to 2000 Employer: Old Republic National Title Insurance Company Title: President of subsidiary/ Texas Agency Manager Department: Southwest
Responsibilities:
He acted as new president of title agency in turn-around situation and then when that company was sold after becoming profitable, acted as Agency Manager for Texas. He had primary responsibility for supervision of the company's Texas agency operations. He also acted as underwriting counsel, handled claims and managed litigation. He trained title agents and wrote underwriting bulletins and manuals.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1996 to 1996 Employer: Fidelity National Title Insurance Company Title: Vice President and Regional Manager Department: Southwest
Responsibilities:
He was Agency Manager for Texas. He had primary responsibility for supervision of the company's Texas agency operations. He trained and recruited title agents.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1984 to 1996 Employer: Title Resources Guaranty Company Title: President Department: Home Office
Responsibilities:
He participated in the founding of this company, acted as its Executive Vice President and General Coounsel for a short time before being elected as its President. He had primary responsibility for all phases of its operations and expanded its territory into five states.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1981 to 1984 Employer: Texas Department of Insurance Title: Assistant Director Department: Title Insurance
Responsibilities:
He had primary responsibility for regulating the title insurance industry in Texas.
Years Employer Title Department
Years: 1980 to Present Employer: Undisclosed Title: General Counsel and Manager Department:
Responsibilities:
Expert filed and prosecuted a number of collection law suits for small businesses throughout Texas and managed the company.

Additional Experience

Expert Witness Experience
Regulatory hearings in Texas and New Mexico; legislative hearings in Texas and Florida, criminal cases in Texas, civil cases in Texas, New Mexico and Colorado, Federal and state courts, depositions, trials and expert witness reports - both plaintiff and defendant.

Career Accomplishments

Associations / Societies
State Bar of Texas: Committee on Title Insurance, Real Estate, Probate and Trust Section, Antitrust Section, Speaker, Advanced Real Estate Law Course

Texas Land Title Association: Speaker at Regional Seminars, Instructor, Land Title School, Land Title School Committee, Grievance Committee, Rates, Rules and Forms (now Regulatory) Committee, Special Legislative Committee, Advisory Committee to State Board of Insurance, Land Title Institute Committee, Legislative Study Committee, Six Task Forces - Title Policy Revisions and Marketability, Division of Premium and Home Office Issue, Certification, Bylaws Revision, On-line Education, and Uniform Closing Instructions, Director, Underwriters Section, President, Long Range Planning Committee, Peggy Hayes Teaching Excellence Award, Underwriter Section Executive Committee, Title-Man of the Year Award, Certified Title Insurance Associate.

American Land Title Association: N.A.I.C., Liaison, State Legislative and Regulatory Action, Research, SW Executive Conference Chair, Underwriters Executive and Government Affairs Committees
Licenses / Certifications
Licenses: Maryland State Bar, 1972; United States Supreme Court, 1976; U. S. District Court of Maryland, 1979; United States Tax Court, 1979; United States Bankruptcy Court, 1979; Title Insurance Agent (State of Maryland) 1979; State Bar of Texas, 1980

Certification: Certified Title Insurance Associate (CTIA) by the Texas Land Title Association – this is the highest level of three certifications that are currently available and less than 30 people have earned the CTIA.
Awards / Recognition
Expert was honored by the Texas Land Title Association (TLTA) as its Title Man of the Year and his teaching expertise was acknowledged by the TLTA Peggy Hayes Teaching Excellence Award. Expert served the TLTA in many capacities including being elected its president. Expert has also held elected offices in the Title Underwriters of Texas and the American Land Title Association.
Publications and Patents Summary
Published approximately twelve articles on regulation of the title insurance industry appearing in the TLTA News during 1982 and 1983, among a large number of other insurance-related publications.

Fields of Expertise

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